Automatic valve.



' T. H. WALKER. AUTOMATIC VALVE.

APPLIOATIOR' FILED AUG.14, 190s.

Patented J an. 24, 1911.

XTTORNEY. 1

THOMAS H. WALKER, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

AUTOMATIC VALVE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 14, 1908.

Patented Jan. 24, 1911.

Serial No. 448,548.

- cat-ion.

My invention relates to improvements in automatic valves.

The object of my invention is to provide a valve for controlling the flow of fluid in a conductor which will automatically close when the pressure in the conductor exceeds a certain predetermined amount and which will automatically open when the pressure falls below a certain amount.

My invention provides further, adjustable means for predetermining the pressure required to move the valve to the closed position.

My invention provides further, novel means for yieldingly resisting the closing movement of the valve.

Other novel features of my invention are hereinafter fully described and claimed.

My invention is particularly adapted for use in water works systems which employ a stand pipe, a pump, a main conductor for conveying the water from the pump to the stand pipe, and a branch conductor connected with the main conductor and which delivers the water to the consumers. In such systems it is customary to have in the main conductor a valve, ordinarily closed by hand, which disconnects the stand pipe from the pump when it is desired to obtain a high pressure from the pump in the branch conductor. In case of fire it becomes important to close connection as quickly as possible between the pump and stand pipe so that all the pressure from the pump may be diverted to the branch conductor which supplies the consumers.

My invent-ion aims to immediately accomplish this as soon as the proper increased pressure is provided in the conductor leading from the pump.

My invention also provides that as soon as the pump pressure has been reduced below a predetermined amount connection at once will be reestablished between the pump and stand pipe.

In the accompanying drawings illustrative of my inventionFigure 1 is a longii tudinal, central, vertical sectional view of my improved valve. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a cross section taken on the dotted line a-b of Fig. 2. Fig. 41 is a diagrammatic view showing the employment of my improved valve in a pumping system.

Similar characters of reference denote similar parts.

1 denotes the valve casing comprising a horizontal tubular body provided with an inlet 2 and an outlet 3. A valve 4 is mounted in the casing 1 and is pivoted at its lower edge upon a horizontal screw 5 which extends horizontally through the casing 1. The disposition of the screw 5 and outlet 3 1s suchthat the valve may be swung from a vertical position closing the outlet 3, as shown in solid lines in Fig. 1, to the position shown in dotted lines in said figure. The passage between the Valve and the inner walls of the casing 1 is, when the valve is in the open position, of less capacity than the capacity of the outlet 3. Said passage, which is denoted by 6 in Fig. 3, decreases in capacity as the valve closes. Thus, by adjusting the valve toward the closed position, less pressure will be required to automatically move the valve to the closed position than will be required when the valve is in a position farther from the outlet 3.

Then the valve 4 is in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, which is the fully open position, fluid entering the casing through the inlet 2, if below a certain pressure, will pass through the casing without raising the valve 4. Owing to the space around the valve being less in cross section than the cross section of the outlet 3, the capacity of this space or passage will be less than the capacity of the outlet 3 and the pressure exerted against the inner side of the valve will be greater than the pressure at the outer side thereof. When the difference in pressure becomes sufficient to overcome the force of gravitation acting upon the valve, the valve will be forced to the closed position, as shown in solid lines in Fig. 1.

Inasmuch as the passage around the valve decreases as the valve moves toward the outlet, by adjustably limiting the movement of the valve from the outlet the pressure required to close the valve may be varied as desired. Any suitable means may be employed to so adjustably limit the opening movement of the valve. The preferred means for so limiting the valve movement comprises a horizontal rock shaft 7, which is rotatively mounted in the side walls of the casing 1 and has secured to its outer end a crank arm 8 by which the rock shaft 7 may be swung to and fro. Secured to the rock shaft 7, within the casing 1, is a plate 9 which is adapted to support the valve 4 when the shaft 7 is rocked to the proper position. By turning the crank 8 to the right, as viewed in Fig. 2, the plate 9 may be movedso as to limit the movement of the valve 4 away from the outlet 3 to any position desired. For securing the crank 8 in the position to which it is adjusted, the following described mechanism is employed :At the inner side of the crank 8, above the shaft 7 is secured at its ends to the outer side of the casing 1, an arcuate plate 10. To the rear of the plate 10 is a clamping plate 11 the lower end of which is provided with an outwardly extending projection 12 which extends through an opening 13 provided in the crank 8. A bolt 14 extends through the plate 11 and crank 8 and has mounted on its screw threaded end a nut 15 which bears against the outer side of the crank 8. The head of the bolt 14 bears against the inner side of the plate 11. By properly turning the nut 15 the arcuate plate 10 may be tightly clamped between the plate 11 and crank 8, thus retaining said crank in the position to which it is adjusted. To prevent leakage around the shaft 7 where it extends through the casing 1 an ordinary screw threaded packing ring 16 is mounted upon the shaft 7 and is fitted in a screw threaded recess in the casing 1. In said recess, encircling the shaft 7, is packing material 17 which is retained in position by the pressure applied by the inner end of the packing ring 16.

Referring to Fig. 1, 18 denotes an inclined hollow cylinder the upper and outer end of which is closed by a cap 19 and the inner open end of which is screw threaded externally and is fitted to a screw threaded hole provided in the upper side of the casing 1. The inner open end of the cylinder 18 communicates with the outlet 3. Within the cylinder 18 is reciprocatively mounted a piston 20 provided with a passage lengthwise therethrough which is adapted to be closed by an inclined rod 21, the lower end of which is pivoted to the valve 4 and the upper end of which is adapted to engage and force upwardly and outwardly the piston 20 when the valve 4 is being swung to the cldsed position. The piston 20 is preferably of thimble form, the closed upper end of which is provided with a small central opening 22 and the lower open end of which is internally screw threaded and has fitted therein a screw threaded ring 23 which loosely encircles the rod 21. A by-pass is provided for the passage of fluid in the cylinder 18 from one end of the piston 20 to its other end.-

This by-pass is preferably an annular space 24 between the piston 20 and the cylinder 18. The lower end of the piston 18 is provided with an annular inwardly extending flange 25, which is adapted to support the piston 20 and prevent its downward movement before the valve 4 has reached a fully open position.

In the operation of the valve when the pressure of the incoming fluid is sufficient to overcome the weight of the valve 4 and rod 21 the valve will be swung from the position shown in dotted lines toward the position shown in solid lines in Fig. 1. As the valve 4 moves upwardly the upper end of the rod 21 will strike the lower side of the top of the piston 20, thus closing the opening 22 and thereby preventing passage downwardly of fluid from the upper end of the cylinder 18 except such as can pass through the lay-pass 24. The rod 21, piston 20, and cylinder 18 thus serve as a dash pot mechanism for preventing the sudden closing of the valve 4. When the pressure of the fluid entering the casing 1' through the inlet 2 becomes suflicientiy low the weight of the valve 4 and rod 21 and also the piston 20 will cause the valve 4 to move away from its seat and the valve will fall to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, the piston 20 at the same time will move to the position shown in dotted lines in the said figure.

Referring to Fig. 4, 26 denotes a stand pipe of the ordinary pattern which is 0011- nected by a main conductor 27 with an ordi nary hydraulic pump 28. A branch conductor 29 is connected to the conductor 27 intermediate the stand pipe 26 and pump 28. Intermediate the branch conductor 29 and stand pipe 26 and forming part of conductor 27 is a valve casing 1 corresponding in construction to the casing shown in the other figures. In the valve casing 1 is mounted mechanism corresponding to the mechanism shown in the other figures of the drawings. The valve 4 in its open position is disposed so that the ordinary pressure will not cause it to be closed, and the main conductor will connect the stand pipe 26 with the pump 28, so that water may be pumped into the stand pipe. In case of fire, and a greater pressure is desired in the branch conductor 29, the engineer at the pumping station increases the pressure at the pump 28, thus increasing the pressure in the main conductor 27 to a point at which the valve 4 will be moved to the closed position shown in Fig. 1, in which position the stand pipe 26 will be cut off from the pump 28 and branch conductor 29. After the need for greater pressure in the branch conductor 29 has passed, the engineer lowers the pressure at the pump 28, thus reducing the pressure in the main conductor 27 to a point at which the valve 1 will swing to the open position, thus connecting the stand pipe with the pump and branch conductor.

My invention may be modified, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from its spirit.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a valve casing having an inlet and an outlet for fluid, of a valve movable in said casing by incoming fluid to close said outlet when the fluid has reached a certain predetermined pressure, a cylinder closed at its outer end and having its inner end communicating with said outlet, a hollow piston reciprocative in said cylinder and having openings one at each end for the passage of fluid, a by-pass being provided for the passage of fluid in said cylinder past said piston, and a rod connected to said valve and adapted to engage and force outwardly said piston when the valve in closing has moved to a certain position.

2. The combination with a valve casing having an inlet and an outlet for fluid, of a valve movable in said casing to close said outlet by incoming fluid having a certain pressure but not so movable at a less pressure, a cylinder closed at its outer end and having its inner end communicating with said outlet, a piston reciprocative in said cylinder, a by-pass being provided for the passage of fluid in said cylinder from one end of the piston to the other, a rod connected to said valve, and when the valve in closing is moved to a certain position being adapted to engage and force outwardly said piston, and adjustable means for predetermining the pressure required to close said valve.

3. The combination with a valve casing having an inlet and an outlet for fluid, of a valve movable in said casing by incoming fluid at a certain pressure to close said outlet, the passage around the valve decreasing in size as the valve moves to the closed position, the passage having less capacity than the capacity of the outlet when the valve is in the open position, adjustable means for limiting the movement of the valve from the outlet, a cylinder having a closed outer end and an open inner end communicating with said outlet, a piston reciprocative in said cylinder, a by-pass being provided for the passage of fluid in said cylinder from one end of the piston to the other, and a member connected with said valve and adapted toengage and force outwardly said piston when the valve in closing has reached a certain position.

4:. The combination with a valve casing having an inlet and an outlet for fluid, of a valve pivoted in said casing and movable by incoming fluid at a certain pressure to open inner end communicating with said outlet, a piston rcciprocative in said cylinder, a by-pass being provided for the passage of fluid in said cylinder from one end of the piston to the other, and a member connected with said valve for engaging and forcing outward the said piston when the valve in closing has reached a certain position.

5. The combination with a valve casing having an inlet and an outlet for fluid, of a valve pivoted in said casing and movable by incoming fluid at a certain pressure to close said outlet, the passage around the valve decreasing in capacity as the valve closes and having in the fully open position less capacity than the outlet, adjustable means for limiting the opening movement of the valve, a cylinder having an open inner end communicating with said outlet, and a closed outer end, a piston reciprocative in said cylinder and having a passage extending lengthwise therethrough, and a member connected with said valve and adapted, when the valve is swung toward the outlet, to close the passage in the piston and force the piston outwardly in the cylinder.

6. The combination with a valve casing having an inlet and an outlet for fluid, of a valve pivoted in said casing so as to swing downwardly from a position closing said outlet, the passage around the Valve decreasing in size as the valve closes and having less capacity in the fully open position of the valve than the outlet, adjustable means for limiting the opening movement of the valve, an inclined cylinder having a closed outer and upper end and having an open lower inner end secured to the upper side of said casing and. communicating with said outlet, a piston reciprocative in said cylinder and having a passage lengthwise therethrough, and a rod pivoted at one end to said valve and having its other end adapted to close the passage in the piston and force said piston upwardly and outwardly when the valve is swung to the closed position.

7. The combination with a valve casing having an inlet and an outlet, of a valve movable in the casing to close the outlet by a predetermined pressure in the casing at the inlet side of the valve, a cylinder closed at one end and having an open end communicating with the interior of the casing at the outer side of the outlet, a piston reciprocative in said cylinder and having a longitudinal passage therethrough, the cyl- A C inder havingaby pass past said piston, and a member connecting the valve and piston for closing said passage and moving the piston toward the closed end of the cylinder,

. the said member being movable to a position opening said passage when the valve and member move to the open position.

8. The combination with a valve casing having an outlet, of a valve for. closing said outlet when there is a predetermined pres sure in the casing at one side of said valve, a cylinder closed at one end and having an open end communicating with the interior of said valve casing at the outerside of said outlet, a piston reciprocative in said cylinder and having a longitudinal passage therethrough and being movable by gravity .and a rod slidably mounted in the piston and secured to the valve for moving the piston toward the closed end of the cylinder when the valve is closing, the valve being arranged to respectively close and open the passage when the valve is moved to the closed and open positions.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS H. WALKER.

\Vitnesses;

E. B. House, WV. J. NORRIS. 

